Li-chan and His Hairbow
by Tori-chan
Summary: Sakura encounters a new card, and needs Syaoran's help to capture it; however, the only way to get close to the card is to look like a girl . . . ((Self-contained one-shot; written as a response to a challenge on the CCSFWML.))


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DISCLAIMER: All characters and names are owned by CLAMP, Kodansha, etc., and have nothing to do whatsoever with me. Shame on you for even thinking it. ^_~ But anyway, C&C always welcome. Enjoy!

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Li-chan And His Hair-Bow   
A _Card Captor Sakura_ Fanfiction   
  
  
  


  
Sakura's staff was knocked from her hands with brutal force, and was sent spinning away from her on the marble floor of the new beauty parlor. She winced and rubbed at her hand, which was still stinging from the blow. She glanced to the side, to see if it was close enough to reach-- but no luck there. She looked from side to side, desperately trying to find something she could use to fend off the card that was advancing upon her. Her groping hand knocked into something, one of the tables used by the employees here. The place had only opened a few days ago, so everything was still crisp and new, and everything was where it was supposed to be. She felt around on the surface in the dark, her eyes never leaving the rampaging card, and felt her fingers close around something. It was slightly heavy, and felt as if it could be used as some sort of weapon.   
"Miiiiine..." the card was saying softly, in a voice that sent little chills up and down Sakura's spine. "All mine..." It was close enough to touch now, and Sakura decided that it was time to act.   
"I'm not done yet!" she called, and brandished her-- hair-dryer? Sakura stared at the implement in her hands, which she'd thought could have been used as a weapon. /Oi/_,_ she thought to herself, a sweat drop forming. She tossed it aside, thinking rapidly. Without her staff, she could neither return the card to its card state, nor release any other cards to subdue it. She had to reach her staff. The problem was, the card was in between her and the precious thing. There was only one thing to do-- make a dive for it.   
The card reached out with one slender arm and caught her easily as she tried to reach it, her fingers closing on thin air just inches away from the handle of her wand. She watched it grow even further away as the card brought her back towards the front. "Now you are all miiiine..." the card whispered, the sibilant voice smug with its triumph.   
"No!" As one, both the Clow Card and Sakura turned to see Tomoyo and Li-kun, standing in the doorway to the darkened beauty parlor, Tomoyo holding her camcorder in one hand and Li-kun holding his sword. "You can't have Sakura-chan," Tomoyo continued, "Because she needs to finish collecting all the cards!"   
The was complete silence for a moment. Then the card gestured suddenly, with a noise of what seemed to be disgust, and suddenly Syaoran sank to his knees before toppling over onto his face, unconscious. Then the silence was broken by the card's jubilant words, as if it had never even seen Syaoran at all. "Another one! And so pretty, too!" If it hadn't had its hands full holding onto Sakura, it would have bounded after Tomoyo happily.   
"Li-kun!"called Sakura, surprised. She hadn't thought her friends had followed her, as she'd gone to investigate the strange shop by herself. "Run, Tomoyo! I'll be fine here while you're gone-- see what's wrong with Li-kun!"   
"Kero-chan came and told us you had gone by yourself, so I brought Li-kun and came here!" Tomoyo was busily filming the whole time she spoke.   
"Run!" Sakura repeated. "Once Li-kun gets better, you can come back--"   
Tomoyo shook her head. "I'm not leaving here without you, Sakura-chan! I have to film your capture of this card!" And with that, Tomoyo bent down and carefully lifted Li-kun's shoulders, pulling him into the shop with her.   
The card suddenly jerked, its gaze now riveted upon the unconscious form of Syaoran. "What?" it hissed, both Sakura and Tomoyo forgotten. "This is . . . this is . . . this is a /boy/!" The card backed up, dropping Sakura, who scrambled away from it and picked up her staff. The card covered its face, making a little moaning sound. "It's . . . it's horrible!" it wailed, and suddenly both Sakura and Tomoyo felt a strange pressure building up inside their heads, like a pressure headache. It got to a certain point and then released all at once, a horrible pounding inside the two girls' skulls sending them running as fast as they could away from the card. Sakura paused long enough to grab one of Syaoran's legs and drag him along, since he was still out like a light. The headache grew weaker and weaker the further they got from the card, until they could no longer feel the pressure in their heads. They didn't stop until they'd gotten close to Sakura's house, and then they stopped for breath.   
For a while, no one said anything. Then, something hit Sakura's mind and she straightened slightly. "Tomoyo-chan . . . didn't you say that Kero-chan was with you?"   
Tomoyo looked rather puzzled. "Yes, he was right behind me. I wonder where he went?"   
Just then, a yellowish blur flew by them, startling both of them. After a moment, the blur returned, and paused to hover in front of them. It turned out to be Kero-chan. "There you are!" he said, looking rather out of breath. "I've been looking all over for you!"   
Tomoyo was confused. "But you were right behind me, weren't you?"   
Kero-chan appeared to be slightly embarrassed. "I . . . well, Sakura's brother and his friend were coming out the door just as I was about to follow you, so I had to wait until they were gone. And by that time, I lost sight of you."   
"But why couldn't you have just come to the beauty parlor anyway, once the two were gone?"   
Kero-chan looked even more embarrassed. "Well, I-- that is to say . . . um . . ."   
Sakura had a vague idea of what had happened. "Kero-chan, did you get lost?"   
Kero-chan coughed, looking away and down to the side. His eyes lit on Li-kun. "What happened to him?"   
Sakura shook her head. "I don't know. He just kind of . . . fell over after he got close to us."   
Kero's eyes narrowed, and he sat thinking for a while. Sakura glanced down at Syaoran, and happened to notice that he was waking up. Or, rather, he was completely woken up and was staring at her with an expression full of what could only be called chagrin. She gave him a puzzled look. "Oh, you're awake!" she said, and then asked, "What's wrong?" He glanced down, and Sakura realized that she was still clinging to the leg she had grabbed in order to haul him away from the card. She dropped it, quickly, saying in a rush, "Oh! Gomen nasai, Li-kun! I just-- you see, I had to-- and there was--"   
Kero suddenly interrupted her, cutting off her rush of words. "Ah!" he cried suddenly. "I've got it! This is the Pretty card-- it likes pretty things, and doesn't allow boys in its presence. That's why it's been hanging around the beauty parlor, and why people have been coming out with extremely beautiful faces."   
Everyone stared at Kero, until Syaoran suddenly broke the silence. "Pretty?" he blurted, incredulous.   
Kero-chan nodded gravely. "It's a very powerful card. When faced with something other than beauty, it can emit such a high-pitched wailing sound that anything in the vicinity gets a horrible headache-- you were unconscious by that point, so you don't remember it, but I'm sure Tomoyo-chan and Sakura-chan do."   
Both the girls nodded in agreement. Then Sakura spoke up. "But I can't beat it by myself. I need someone to help me, so they can distract it while I capture the card." She glanced at Tomoyo out of the corner of her eye. "I don't think Tomoyo can help me-- she doesn't have the same dodging abilities as Li-kun and I, and she also doesn't have any staff or sword. So there's no one left to help me except for . . ." Her voice trailed off, and her gaze rested upon Li-kun.   
Syaoran shook his head. "I can't get near it, remember? So don't look at me!"   
Tomoyo, meanwhile, was looking very thoughtful. At that point she smiled and spoke up. "I have an idea," she said in her soft-spoken way.   
  
  
  
  
Sakura and Tomoyo sat on the edge of Tomoyo's bed, waiting patiently. They had met at Tomoyo's house after dinner, in preparation to put Tomoyo's plan into action. After a few moments, a muffled voice came from behind the door of Tomoyo's closet.   
"Do I have to come out in this?" It sounded rather like Syaoran.   
Tomoyo tilted her head to one side and smiled. "Of course! You want to help Sakura-chan, right?"   
There was a muttered response, and then the door opened. A figure shuffled out. It was wearing an adorable pink dress, with enough frills on it to signify that it was Tomoyo's creation. On the figure's feet were white socks and pink shoes that matched the dress, with straps around the ankles. As Sakura's eyes traveled upwards and she finally reached the face of the new person, she realized something. It was Syaoran. And he was wearing a pink bow in his rumpled brown hair.   
Tomoyo clasped her hands together. "Li-kun! You look so /pretty/!" She smiled widely, and added, "I knew that dress would be perfect for you."   
When Sakura regained her breath, she smiled and nodded as well. "Yes! You make such a cute girl! Hoeee, I wish /I/ could look that pretty when I wear Tomoyo-chan's dresses."   
"Oh, but you do, Sakura-chan!" cried Tomoyo. "You're both cute in them!" She put her hands on her cheeks and smiled. "I'm so lucky to have such adorable friends!"   
Both Sakura and Syaoran sweat-dropped. Then Syaoran scowled and crossed his arms. "This is stupid. I shouldn't have to do this just to capture a card."   
Tomoyo suddenly stood up and crossed to her dresser, and pulled a box off the top. She opened it, and pulled Li-kun over and sat him down on the bed. "What now?" Syaoran asked, looking apprehensive.   
Tomoyo pulled a lipstick out of the box, and opened it up, smiling. "We have to make you as pretty as possible, so the card will be distracted by you when Sakura captures it."   
Syaoran's blush deepened until his entire face was bright scarlet. "No! Absolutely not! NO make-up!"   
"But--" Sakura said plaintively, "We have to capture this card! And this is the best way! Please, Li-kun?" And she looked at him with her large green eyes, pleading silently.   
Syaoran stared at Sakura, his mouth moving but no words coming out. Finally, he closed his eyes and sighed. "Alright. Just a little."   
Tomoyo sighed happily and started to apply the bright red lipstick on Li-kun. Sakura watched for a while, and then stood up rather suddenly. "I want to help!" she said, her face bright and animated. "Can I do the eyeshadow?"   
Li-kun's eyes snapped open. "Eyeshadow?" he asked in a panicked voice.   
Sakura nodded. "Yeah! Can I, please?"   
Tomoyo smiled. "Of course, Sakura-chan! I've got pink, blue, yellow, and purple. What do you think will go best?"   
Sakura looked between the four shades and finally picked out the purple-colored compact. "This one, definitely. Close your eyes again, Li-kun."   
Li-kun looked about ready to cry. But he obediently shut his eyes, clenching his hands into fists on his lap.   
They worked in silence for a while, until Tomoyo said triumphantly, "I know! /Blush!/"   
Li-kun's heart skipped a few beats. "B-B-Blush?" His voice was strained. "You are /not/ going to put blush on me . . ."   
Sakura looked crestfallen. "But we have to! It would look so /pretty/!"   
Syaoran looked like he was going to burst. After a long, strained moment, he sagged. "Alright. Go ahead. Do your worst."   
"Yatta!" Sakura cried and snatched up the compact. Once she and Tomoyo had finished their ministrations, they stood back.   
"I know!" said Tomoyo, leaning forward. "He needs another bow, one for either side of his head!"   
Sakura laughed and nodded. "Yes, you're right! Aww, he's so /cute/!" She pulled and tugged at Li-kun's hair until it stuck up around his head like a fluffy halo. "There. You're set to go, I think, Li-kun. Or-- should I say, Li-chan?"   
That was the final straw. "I do /not/ have to take this!" said Syaoran, and he stormed out of the room.   
Sakura jumped to her feet. "We have to go after him and get him to go to the beauty parlor!" She started to run after him.   
"Wait!" cried Tomoyo. "Here, we forgot the finishing touch. This perfume!" And she handed Sakura a violet bottle, with a little spritzer puff attached.   
Sakura took the bottle and sprinted after Syaoran. She heard the front door slam and hurried after, getting onto her bicycle and quickly gaining on the sprinting figure. "Li-kun!!!!" Sakura yelled, frantically peddling on the bike. "You forgot your perfume!" She waved the bottle as she drew closer.   
Syaoran glanced back, his expression full of abject horror, and ran that much harder. Until he ran into something, and fell over backwards. He looked up, into the confused faces of Touya and Yukito. Sakura caught up to him then, and smiled up at Yukito. "Yukito-san!" she said, out of breath from all the pedaling.   
Yukito started to say something, but was interrupted. Syaoran, his face bright crimson, was stuttering and gaping like a fish. He backed away from the three of them, and took off running, many times faster than he had before. Sakura yelped and pedaled on after him, after calling out a good-bye to Yukito and her brother.   
As they disappeared, Yukito and Touya stared after them. Touya snorted, shaking his head. "That little monster. She's so weird."   
Yukito looked rather puzzled. "I wonder who that cute little girl was? She looked awfully familiar, for some reason."   
Touya shrugged. "I don't know. Probably one of her friends from school."   
Yukito smiled and nodded. "I guess so. She was very pretty, don't you think?"   
Touya shrugged again. "For a little girl, I guess." And then the two of them continued on their way.   
  
  
  
  
Without noticing it, for he was running blindly, Syaoran ran straight into the door of the beauty shop. The card manifested immediately, hissing in pleasure as it saw what appeared to be an adorable little girl. Sakura caught up in an instant, and took her wand from around her neck, the staff growing larger as she did so. The card was so caught up crooning over Syaoran that it didn't even notice Sakura, who was busily trying to figure out the best way to get close to the card without being seen.   
Syaoran squirmed, pressed up against the back wall. "Ack! No, you don't understand, I'm a gu--"   
"Sssso pretty!" the card crooned happily, reaching out with a tendril of light to straighten Li-kun's dress, which had gotten rather disarranged in his mad flight from Yukito. Syaoran tried to find something to fend off the card's affectionate gestures, and couldn't find anything. By chance, he reached up to his head, his fingers coming in contact with the bows in his hair. An idea came to him, and he pulled one of the ribbons out slowly. As the card advanced drew closer, he whipped out the ribbed, flinging it into the card's face. The card staggered back, clawing at the sudden flurry of pink cloth in its eyes, giving Sakura the perfect opportunity to collect the card.   
"Clow Card!" came a sudden shout just as the card staggered back. "Return to your true form!" And the card pulled the ribbon away from its eyes and backed away from Li-kun, giving him a slightly sad look, and then disappeared leaving a single Clow Card in its place. Sakura picked it up, and then turned it to show Li-kun, who was red as a beet and shaking all over. "We did it!"   
Without a word, Syaoran stormed past a startled Sakura, who trailed after him out of the shop. Sakura caught up to him, and he slowed his pace, his face cooling off a little. "You really do look pretty, Li-chan," Sakura said with a bright smile.   
Syaoran glared at her, or at least tried to. But Sakura's smiled was contagious, so instead he ended up in-between a scowl and a helpless grin. But he didn't answer her, because he didn't trust himself to speak coherently just yet.   
Sakura got off her bike and walked next to him. Softly, so that he almost didn't hear her, she said, "Arigato, Li-kun."   
Syaoran reached his house and turned to say goodbye. Sakura just kept walking though, her head down. She knew that Li-kun had sacrificed a lot to help her, and felt horrible about teasing him about it. Syaoran paused, watching her walk her bike down the sidewalk, and then called out, "You're welcome, Sakura."   
Sakura's head lifted, and she glanced backwards with a bright smile. Then she hopped onto her bike and pedaled away, to tell Tomoyo about what had happened at the beauty parlor.   
  
  
  
  
  


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_Li-chan and His Hairbow_, by Tori-chan: email me at [saezuru@hotmail.com][1]. 

   [1]: mailto:saezuru@hotmail.com



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